Aphrodite's Destiny
by Mistress Lrigtar
Summary: When nearly ten-year-old Ginny drinks a love potion she and Luna Lovegood brew, the outcome is not what she expected and changes her life forever.
1. Prologue - The Potion

**Author's notes: **This story was written for the Bond Challenge posted on the Sink Into Your Eyes site. I thought I would post it here for any of my readers who may not visit that site. All my thanks go out to my awesome beta, Arnel who read this first chapter and said this story was worth pursuing. She was right and I owe her a debt of gratitude for being so supportive of my work. Please enjoy._  
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_'Aphrodite, goddess of love,_

_One who watches from far above._

_Show me please that which is to be my fate;_

_Reveal the face of my soul mate.'_

Ginny Weasley stared at her friend in disbelief. "You're joking, right? I can't say that. I'd feel completely foolish."

"It's part of the spell," Luna replied serenely. "Aphrodite won't answer if you don't beseech her. It says so in the book."

Ginny rolled her eyes and pulled the tattered potions book over towards her so she could read the text for herself. The recipe was at the top of the page, followed by the directions on mixing the ingredients and then the incantation that Luna had just recited. Ginny grimaced at the picture of a young witch mouthing the words and gazing longingly at the steam that swirled over the boiling cauldron, waiting to see her true love's face. Would this even work? She and Luna weren't officially witches yet; being nearly ten years old, they weren't even allowed to perform magic unless it was accidental and they wouldn't be attending Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry for another year.

"Are we going to get in trouble for doing this?" Ginny asked, fingering the dog-eared page nervously.

Luna turned her large, blue eyes towards her friend. "Of course not. We both live in magical households. My father says the Ministry cannot tell who is actually performing the magic within magical houses. Besides, we don't need to use wands; we are simply brewing a potion and drinking it. Well, you're going to drink it. I am not anxious to know who I am destined to spend my life with. I rather like surprises."

"So, you think I shouldn't go through with this then?" Ginny asked.

"Oh no! I think _you _should!" Luna insisted. "It'll be a grand experience! Not to mention that I have already gathered all the ingredients."

Luna stood up from where the two girls had been sitting cross-legged on the floor of her sitting room and headed into the kitchen. It was cluttered with dishes, goblets, and cookware piled on many of the surfaces. Dirty dishes were stacked in the sink and on the stove, and scattered amongst it all were various plants with trailing vines, that dipped into the standing water in bowls and cups. Strands of dried garlic, onion, and peppers hung from the ceiling, and Luna pushed these out of her way as she entered.

She walked over to the sink, pulled aside the curtain that hid the cupboard under the sink and rummaged through the pots and pans stored there until she found an old, rusted cauldron in the very back and yanked it out. Stumbling back onto her bum, pots, pans, and lids tumbled out of the cupboard and onto the floor. Still clutching the cauldron, she stood up, ignoring the mess around her and returned to her friend.

"I think we should brew this in my room. It's less cluttered and we won't disturb my father while he's printing _The Quibbler_," Luna said. "He's in quite a quandary over the latest article one of his columnists submitted regarding the Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

"The what?" Ginny asked, still sitting on the floor, flipping through the book.

"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack," Luna repeated. "Surely your parents have told you about them. They are very rare and very valuable."

"Oh, maybe my mum hasn't reached that part in our copy of Magical Beasts," Ginny said, although she had looked through that book numerous times and couldn't recall where it mentioned the creature Luna was talking about.

"They are really fascinating and apparently this columnist saw one on his latest trip to Sweden," Luna continued. "Unfortunately, the pictures he submitted with his piece were very blurry. So, Daddy is going to start saving so we can go and see for ourselves one day!"

"That sounds – great," Ginny uttered, following her friend up the tiny spiral staircase that led to Luna's top floor bedroom. It was a circular room with several windows that opened out to the grassy hillsides that surrounded her turret-shaped house. Ginny felt as at home in Luna's house as she did her own, as they both shared similar cluttered, misshapen floor plans. The only difference being that two people took up much less living space than nine people did.

However, no matter how much her six older brothers tormented her, she wouldn't trade places with Luna. Ginny thought it must be lonely living with only her father, especially after her mother passed away the previous year. Luna's father had thrown himself into his newspaper after the accident and Luna had spent many hours at The Burrow to avoid the solitude that she had experienced here.

Thankfully, Mr. Lovegood had overcome his grief and doted on his daughter endlessly to make up for the months of neglect. If Luna asked for the moon, he'd do whatever it took to retrieve it for her. For the moment, she seemed content to have the moon and stars painted on the dark blue ceiling above her bed.

Entering her round room, Luna set the cauldron on her battered desktop that already contained a large jar of water and her mortar and pestle. Opening the top drawer of her desk several vials clinked together and a few yellowed parchment envelopes popped up over the top. She pulled out a small jar containing several greenish-yellow buds that reminded Ginny of artichokes, a small box, and an envelope, setting them all on the desk next to the cauldron.

"Is this safe?" Ginny asked, tipping the cauldron towards her. Flakes of rust fell off and dusted the desk top. "Maybe we should have scrubbed it first?"

Luna pulled a couple more envelopes and three vials out of the drawer before shutting it and spared the old cauldron a glance. "I think it will be fine. This was one of my mother's favourite cauldrons. She firmly believed that to scour a cauldron detracted from its magical elements."

Ginny eyed her friend sceptically, not wanting to bring up the fact that Luna's mother had managed to blow herself up by brewing an unstable potion. Not to mention, that poor Luna had been there to witness the entire scene. Ginny shuddered, her imagination running wild at the thought of how gruesome and traumatic it must have been.

"Don't worry, Ginny," Luna soothed, using her uncanny ability to read her friend's unspoken thoughts. "The potion we are brewing is quite simple. We won't be in any danger of it exploding. The worst that will happen is it pops and we get splattered with hot liquid."

"So, what do we do now?" Ginny asked, picking the potions book back up and re-reading the instructions. "It says here I have to drink this when the moon covers the sun. What does that mean?"

"Oh, I am sure it is referring to a solar eclipse," Luna said matter-of-factly.

Ginny widened her eyes. "A solar eclipse? You can't just make that happen!"

Luna giggled. "Of course not, silly! That's why it is very fortunate that there is going to be a complete solar eclipse on July 22. That's only a couple days away, Ginny, so the sooner we start brewing the better. The potion is supposed to simmer for at least a day in order for you to receive the best results."

Ginny's eyes gleamed with excitement. "In two days I could know who I'm destined for."

"In two days your life may be changed forever," Luna commented.

Reading each ingredient aloud as she added it to the cauldron, Luna tapped at an envelope and dropped dried crumbled red and white rose petals into the bottom. Then she drizzled young dandelion honey from one of the vials on top of the petals, before adding the jar of water, cherry juice from another vial, and crushed apple blossoms from a second envelope. Pouring the buds, which turned out to be sunflower buds, from the smaller jar into her mortar, she quickly mashed them down with her pestle and scraped the contents into the cauldron before opening the last vial and adding a splash of violet water. Opening another drawer in her desk, she pulled out a small flowering lilac branch and stirred the concoction counter-clockwise – all the while sprinkling in a mixture of red, pink, and yellow tulip petals from the last envelope.

When she was finished, Luna picked up the cauldron and the small box, and carried them over to the fireplace that was usually lit in the winter and on exceptionally cold spring or fall days to heat the room. Setting the cauldron gently on the grate, Luna plucked a box of matches from a shelf nearby, lit one, and set it to the kindling nestled underneath the cauldron. The flames guttered around the bottom before flaring up and then settling into a steady blaze. Opening the box, she plucked out the most gorgeous blooming red rose Ginny had ever seen and set it to float on top of the still swirling potion.

Mesmerized by its beauty, the two girls silently watched the rose swirl around in the liquid until it finally came to a stop. Now they only had to wait two days.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Nearly eleven-year-old Harry Potter sat on a thin mattress in the tiny, dark cupboard with his legs pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped around them, and resting his chin on his knees. Faint light leaked in around the edges of the door and he squinted in the dimness up at the still swinging empty light socket above his head. His Aunt Petunia had unscrewed the light-bulb and stuffed it in her apron pocket before slamming the door and sliding the lock in place, screeching that he'd be lucky to ever see the light of day and just wait until his Uncle Vernon came home.

Harry would be more than happy if his Uncle Vernon never came home, as he was quite sure he would not like the confrontation that awaited him that evening. As usual, he was being blamed for something he hadn't even done. He and his cousin, Dudley had been sitting at the table eating lunch. Harry's had consisted of a piece of stale toast and a glass of water, while Dudley had been given a ham sandwich, crisps, an apple, biscuits, and a glass of milk. Harry knew for a fact that Dudley hated milk, but Aunt Petunia insisted that her 'Duddykins' drink a glass everyday. Harry on the other hand, loved milk the few times he had actually been given it – usually when Mrs. Figg was minding him.

Unfortunately, Dudley had caught Harry eyeing his glass longingly before Harry had realized he was doing it, and his cousin's eyes had begun to gleam with a look Harry had long ago learned meant nothing but trouble for him. Harry had averted his gaze, but it was too late and before he had been able to take even a bite of his toast, Dudley's fat hand had reached over and knocked the glass of milk over violently, shattering it and causing the contents to splatter all over the wall and table, and pool on the pristine kitchen floor.

Dudley had howled in outrage as his mother turned around from where she had been washing up at the sink. She'd taken in the spilt milk, Dudley screaming bloody murder and Harry sitting in his seat with his hand outstretched in his feeble attempt to prevent the glass from toppling. He'd known full well it looked as if he had been the one to cause the mess, and there was little he would be able to do to dispel that thought.

His aunt had swooped down on him as he imagined the Pterodactyls he'd learned about in school would have and dragged him off to his cupboard. Dudley had trailed after them balling like the baby he no longer was and demanding that his mother give him an orange fizz to make up for the spilt milk, but Harry hadn't been fooled. Dudley's eyes were hard and dry, and Harry had no doubt his cousin would get his way and more than likely receive extra chocolate biscuits as well.

His stomach rumbled in protest at the thought of chocolate biscuits and Harry wished he had thought to shove his toast in his mouth before his aunt had carted him off. She would have probably added that infraction to her growing list, but at least he'd have eaten something. He highly doubted if he'd be let out for dinner, and depending on the mood his uncle was in when he arrived home, Harry could probably count on no breakfast as well.

Going on an empty stomach was never fun. It was harder to outrun Dudley and his gang then. Harry wished, not for the first time, that he had a friend. It would be much easier to deal with the torment if he had someone he could commiserate with. However, everyone in his and Dudley's class had learned fairly early that attempting to be friendly with Harry led to becoming an additional target for Dudley and his friends. Hence, no friends and no hope of any in the near future. Harry couldn't blame them really, as Dudley already had twice the height and girth on anyone else in their class, which was intimidating enough. Back that up with his thuggish cronies and their intended victim usually didn't stand a chance.

Unfortunately for Harry, he was their victim of choice since all his classmates had wised up and steered clear of him. Some days Harry wished a real Pterodactyl _would_ swoop down and scoop him up. He'd much rather take his chances with a flying dinosaur than his cousin any day. Besides, didn't Pterodactyls eat fish? Harry doubted if he would be very appetizing, and he definitely did not resemble a fish.

Harry sighed, yes tomorrow was not going to be a fun day, if his aunt and uncle even decided to let him out. There was no hope that a dinosaur or anything else would be rescuing him from the clutches of his cousin, so Harry would be on his own.

Somehow, despite his empty stomach, Harry managed to fall asleep only to be rudely awoken, from a rather pleasant if odd dream of flying on a broomstick and chasing a flying dinosaur, by the outraged voice of his Uncle Vernon. The outburst was soon followed by the cupboard door being flung open and his uncle's molten face appearing in the opening. Harry blinked in the sudden light and groggily sat up, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose so he could look at his livid uncle properly.

"Boy!" he roared. "Is it true you broke a glass, spilling milk all over the kitchen? Do you know how much that cost me?"

Harry quickly bit back the fifty pence retort he longed to respond with and simply stared at his uncle, shaking his head slightly. Another thing he had learned over the years was that it was best to choose his battles, and he had no hopes of winning this one. He was quite sure nothing he could do or say in this situation would appease his uncle.

He was proven right when his uncle continued to glare at him and ground his teeth. "Answer me, boy!"

"I don't know," Harry uttered, looking down at his clenched fists in his lap, focusing on the pain of his fingernails digging into his palms to avoid lashing out at his uncle.

"Well more than you're worth to me, I can tell you that!" his uncle spat. "You won't be having dinner tonight and if you want anything tomorrow, that garden better be trimmed and weeded or else."

"Or else what?" The words fell from Harry's lips unbidden before he could censor them. He turned his wide green eyes back up to his uncle's face, which was turning a spectacular shade of maroon.

"Or else, you'll be lucky to have a crumb or see the light of day ever again!" bellowed Uncle Vernon before slamming the door in Harry's now ashen face.

Plunged once again into darkness, Harry banged his balled hands on his legs and wished more than anything he could yell, scream, or holler to vent his growing frustration. He felt as if he were on a precipice, in danger of falling, and there wasn't anyone who would care or even try to save him.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Ginny eyed the bubbling potion nervously. It had frothed up quite a bit over the two days it had sat simmering on the fire, and the rose having dissolved, had turned the liquid a light milky red. She couldn't tell if it looked appetizing or revolting, and it smelled musty, a strange mixture of flowering foliage and dusty wood.

Luna eyed her expectantly, awaiting her seal of approval. What did Ginny know? She had never brewed a potion in her life. Occasionally, she had watched her mum brew simple cleaning abrasives and a Pepperup Potion or two, but she was nowhere near the expert Luna already was. She shrugged slightly and returned Luna's gaze.

"I don't know," Ginny remarked. "Is it supposed to look like that?"

Luna nodded. "Oh yes. I re-read the description to make sure."

Ginny swallowed hard, suddenly having second thoughts. This could be more than she bargained for. What if she didn't like the visage she saw? Was there anyway to change your destiny? Would she see her true love as he was at this very moment or as he would be? Or, what if the potion turned out to be poisonous and she died?

"It isn't poisonous, Ginny," Luna interjected, picking up a stone goblet and dipping it in the red concoction.

"I hate how you can do that," Ginny grumbled.

Luna smirked as she handed Ginny the goblet. "All you have to do is observe expressions, Ginny. We all say exactly what we are thinking with our faces, we just don't realize it."

Ginny took the goblet and gazed down at the contents. It resembled red watery milk and she was afraid its taste was going to make her gag. She felt her trepidation rising as the light in the room began to dim. Carrying the goblet over to Luna's bedroom window, Ginny drew the curtain back and gazed up at the sky. Already, a shadow was creeping across the face of the sun.

Luna was fanning the flames beneath the cauldron to keep the potion bubbling merrily away. Ginny's stomach felt like it was full of fluttering butterflies and her hand holding the goblet shook. Once she spoke the incantation and swallowed the potion, there was no turning back. She shook her head. This was completely ridiculous. The chances of the potion actually working were astronomical, even if Luna had brewed it correctly. More than likely, the only thing that would happen was Ginny would retch all over the floor.

It was getting steadily darker and Luna lit a few candles before joining Ginny at the window.

"It's nearly time," she murmured. "Are you ready?"

Ginny nodded and followed Luna back over to the steaming cauldron. As the room darkened further, the two girls stood on either side of the fire and looked at each other expectantly. Luna nodded her head encouragingly.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny held the goblet up and recited the incantation that she had memorized:

"_Aphrodite, goddess of love,_

_One who watches from far above._

_Show me please that which is to be my fate;_

_Reveal the face of my soul mate."_

As the last word rolled off her tongue, Ginny drank the contents of the goblet in one gulp before she lost her nerve. It actually didn't taste as bad as she had feared. It was reminiscent of a milky tea Bill had given her once called chai, only with a slightly floral after-taste. She stared into the steam rising off the remaining potion in the cauldron, but so far there was no change and no countenance was appearing. Luna fanned the flames again hoping to elicit more steam, but as she did so, a sudden gust of wind from her open windows swept through the room and extinguished not only the candles she had lit, but the fire as well.

Ginny blew out a frustrated sigh and admitted that she felt foolish for thinking that the potion would actually work. She was about to laugh at the stricken look on Luna's face when a wave of dizziness washed over her. Despite the fact that the flames no longer burned beneath the cauldron, the steam seemed to grow thicker and cloud her vision. Blackness seeped in around the edges and drew closer, and Ginny felt as if her body was getting lighter and lighter. The goblet slipped from her fingers and bounced across the wooden floor before rolling underneath Luna's bed.

"Luna," she began, but her mouth felt like it was suddenly full of cotton and she could no longer produce intelligible words. Luna's image blurred in front of her, and the last thing Ginny thought she saw was her friend reaching out for her from a very long distance before Ginny's knees buckled and she crumpled to the floor.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Harry sat under a rhododendron bush in his aunt's garden, hoping the thick leaves and dense braches would hide him from view of Dudley and his friend, Piers Polkiss. Dudley and Piers had spent the afternoon harassing the younger children who attempted to visit the park, but had quickly tired of that activity when one too many a mum yelled at them. Retreating to Dudley's house, they had been invited inside by Aunt Petunia for lunch while Harry continued to toil away weeding in the hot sun.

As the two had passed, they had promised him a sound beating when they returned and to be sure not to get any ideas of going anywhere. Harry had laughed at that, as where was he supposed to go? As much as he hated to admit it, he depended on his aunt and uncle to provide for him the little they offered and somehow they had managed to turn everyone on Privet Drive against him. So, it wasn't like he could run to a neighbour's house and hope they would help in any way. He wasn't quite sure how it was even possible that the neighbours despised him so much, since Harry never did anything except attempt to run away from Dudley and his gang.

He didn't kick dogs or cats like Dudley did or bully younger children, and yet Dudley was a prince and Harry was a hooligan. Scowling up at the dark green leaves, Harry could hear Dudley and Piers smacking at the bushes with thick sticks they had found in Harry's debris pile. Harry mentally kicked himself for not discarding the sticks properly by breaking them up into smaller pieces. He clearly had not been thinking straight.

Actually, his brain had become decidedly muddy in the past few moments, and was it his imagination or were the leaves blurring? He dearly hoped he wasn't in need of a new prescription for his glasses. He could just imagine how that would go over with his uncle. More than likely it would warrant at least a week in the cupboard and bread and water only for meals. Harry wasn't certain how much longer he could subsist on such rations. He was feeling increasingly weak and light-headed with every passing moment.

Attempting to sit up, his head swam and he didn't notice the light becoming dimmer outside his hiding place. Nor did he notice that Dudley and Piers had stopped slapping the bushes and had run inside when the shadow crossed over the sun.

Harry sank back against the mossy earth, staring up at the dark leaves of the rhododendron bush, which had become a splotchy green mass. Closing his eyes he tried to will his now churning stomach to settle, but its roiling seemed to be consuming him and his entire body felt like it was adrift on a raft in a turbulent sea. Harry did not want to be sick, and rolling onto his side, he drew his knees up in a foetal position hoping it would subside. The last thought he had before he passed out was of how angry his uncle was going to be when he came home from work and discovered Harry hadn't been able to finish his chores.


	2. Chapter One - The Encounter

**Author's Notes: **Thanks to my beta, Arnel for all her hard work checking canon, grammar, and basically catching all the little things. This is my first time writing from Molly's POV; I hope you all enjoy!

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Molly Weasley stood at the bottom of the stairs and called up for what felt like the hundredth time to her daughter, Ginny.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley!" she yelled. "If you are not out of that bed and down at the table for breakfast in five minutes, you will spend another week de-gnoming the garden!"

Stomping back into the kitchen, Molly found her remaining four children who still resided at The Burrow, sitting at the table, scooping eggs and sausages into their mouths as if they hadn't been fed in months. After breakfast she was taking the whole lot of them to Diagon Alley to purchase school supplies for the upcoming year. That thought alone was enough to cause Molly stress; as with every year in the past, it was always a struggle to find enough Galleons to pay for everything her children needed. She most certainly did not need the additional strain of her youngest child and only daughter sleeping the morning away.

Molly fretted over the events of the past week, as she washed up the dishes her husband, Arthur had placed in the sink that morning before leaving for work. Luna, Ginny's good friend had knocked on the door of The Burrow one day last week in as worried a state as Molly had ever seen her stating that Ginny had drunk a love potion and had passed out.

Molly had Apparated quickly to Luna's house to find Ginny shakily sitting up and taking a glass of water from Luna's father, Xenophilius. The fear that had spread through Molly when Luna had told her what Ginny had done had been quickly replaced by anger when she saw that her daughter was going to be all right. Molly made sure Ginny knew how upset she had made her by confining her to The Burrow for the remainder of the summer and forbidding her from seeing Luna as well until further notice.

Since that time, when she hadn't been in the garden violently throwing gnomes over the hedge, Ginny had spent all of her time in her room, moping as far as Molly could tell. Molly wasn't sure she was prepared to deal with a prepubescent girl so soon. Molly remembered all too well how she had been and the grief she had given her own mother. She supposed it was the circle of life, but she had hoped to be spared the torment for another year or so.

She recalled a time at Hogwarts when she and her friends had decided to brew the exact same potion Luna and Ginny had. It was called _Aphrodite's Destiny_ and claimed it would reveal the drinker's true love in the cauldron steam. Molly chuckled as she waved her wand over the dirty dishes. She and her friends had had a good laugh, but all they had seen was whatever they pretended to envision in the mist. Molly, had of course, said she saw Arthur's face clearly and perhaps if she had squinted hard enough that may have been true. However, none of them had passed out from drinking the potion that had tasted like a milky floral tea. Clearly, Ginny and Luna had done something wrong, and Molly was grateful the outcome hadn't been worse.

Hearing a scuff on the stairs, Molly turned away from the sink in time to see Ginny clumping down them with hair that looked half-heartedly brushed at best and wearing a wrinkled set of burgundy robes over a pair of tatty jeans and a faded green Harpies t-shirt. Molly bit her tongue from saying anything regarding her daughter's appearance and set a plate before her instead. Ginny glumly picked up a fork and moved the eggs and sausage around on her plate, but made little effort to actually eat any of it.

"Mum," Percy, Molly's eldest still at home looked up from his plate. "May I buy an owl today for making Prefect? Errol is so untrustworthy these days."

"Oh, yes," Fred stated cheekily. "We wouldn't want to entrust Errol with Percy's important Prefect papers."

"A first year stubbed his toe!" George pompously declared. "It requires a report in triplicate."

Ron snickered while Percy glared over at the twins. "It would do for you two to toe the line this year! Just because I am your brother does not mean I won't hand out detentions to you if I must. That goes for you as well, Ronald. Start the new term off right."

Molly wearily sighed. It had been like this ever since Percy had received his Prefect badge. "Percy, yes, you may have an owl, but stop threatening the twins and Ron with detentions before school has even started. Fred and George, stop antagonizing your brother. Ron, chew with your mouth closed, please! And Ginny, either you eat or there will be no ice cream at Florean Fortescue's today!" _If we even have the Galleons for it_, Molly added under her breath.

After she was satisfied that each of her children had eaten a proper enough breakfast, Molly hastily stacked the remaining dirty dishes in the sink for later and herded her brood into the sitting room to the Floo. She sent Percy through first, followed by the twins, Ron, Ginny, and finally herself.

Stepping out of the grate at The Leaky Cauldron, Molly called hello to Tom, the barman who returned it heartily as the Weasley clan made their way to the back of the pub and the entryway into Diagon Alley.

"Now," Molly said sternly before they entered through the archway. "Stay near me, and we will take care of robes first thing while we are fresh."

Molly counted in her head the money she had as she looked through the racks of discounted robes in the used robe shop. She and Arthur had promised Percy a set of new robes, and she had sent him on to Madame Malkin's to be fitted while she looked for new slightly worn sets for Fred and George. Ron was already well suited with Bill's first year robes, so she felt certain she had enough to cover what she needed.

Ron and Ginny sat by the front window while Molly rifled through the racks attempting to find decent robes for the twins, who were not being helpful whatsoever and had wandered deeper into the shop. Both her younger children looked bored, with Ginny staring listlessly out the window while Ron pulled a thread on his sleeve.

Molly was worried that Ginny would be lonely this year with all her brothers away at school, and was considering lifting the ban she had placed on her daughter not to see Luna; who was the only other magical child living nearby. Molly was sure that both girls had surely learned their lesson after the scare they all had had and she decided that when they returned home that afternoon she would inform Ginny she would be able to visit with Luna after the boys started school.

She was distracted from her musings by the twins, who had somehow managed to pull several ladies robes off the racks without her noticing and were currently parading in them in front of the mirrors by the changing rooms. Marching over to mischievous duo, she ordered them to remove the robes immediately and return them to racks while she finished up.

By the time she had sorted out the twins, purchased the robes she had found at the discount shop and managed to meet Percy at Madame Malkin's to pay for his robes, it was past noon. Shepherding her children out of the shop, Molly decided they could fit in Flourish and Blott's before lunch.

"Thank goodness we decided to visit Diagon Alley earlier this year," she sighed as her band of children marched up the street. "There's not much of a crowd."

They were passing by Ollivander's shop where a very large and extremely hairy figure was standing, holding a cage containing a beautiful snowy owl that caught Molly's eye. Seeing the owl reminded her that she had also promised Percy a new owl, and again she mentally counted her money as they approached.

Ginny, who had been trailing behind all day as it was, slowed even more as they approached Ollivander's, and Molly saw her begin to cross the street towards the hulking figure of a man.

"Ginny! No dawdling!" Molly called after her. "We don't need to look at wands today!"

Ginny appeared not to notice and continued heading for the man, her feet scuffing along the cobblestones like a sleepwalker. Becoming increasingly annoyed with her daughter for disregarding her call, Molly shouted after her again. "Ginny!"

"It's all right, Mum," George said, glancing over towards Ginny. "That's Hagrid, the groundskeeper at Hogwarts."

"Hello, Hagrid!" Fred called, smiling broadly.

"Nice owl, Hagrid," George added.

The man, who Molly now realized was indeed Hagrid turned away from the window and beamed over at them. "Fred, George, good ta' see ya'. 'lo Molly, is this little Ginny?" Hagrid casually waved a hand at Molly as he looked down at Ginny. She smiled vaguely up at him, but her attention seemed to be attracted to the front window of Ollivander's.

"Hello, Hagrid," Molly said warmly, walking up behind her daughter.

Percy pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and puffed out his chest where his Prefect badge glittered. "Hagrid, good to see you," he stated bombastically. "We're fitting our brother, Ron up with what he will need for school this year. He's a first year."

Hagrid smiled down at Percy, obviously immune to his conceit and then looked over towards Ron, who was staring up at him with wide eyes from where he was standing across the street. "I have someone for ye ta meet then. I'm escortin' –"

"Harry Potter," Ginny breathed, staring past Hagrid towards the entrance of Ollivander's where the boy himself stood. Even as she said it she was already stepping over to him, an electrical charge filling the air surrounding them as she approached. She stopped a foot away and stared.

"Ginny!" Molly admonished. "It isn't polite to stare!"

Even as Molly said this, she found herself gaping as well. The little boy standing behind Hagrid was barely bigger than Ginny and looked ill cared for and malnourished. His baggy, worn clothes hung limply on his thin frame and the glasses he wore were held together by tape. However, it was the bright green eyes behind the lenses that captivated her and the lightning bolt-shaped scar she could just see peeking out from beneath his unruly black fringe.

"Ginny?" Harry asked, taking a small step, closing the remaining distance between them and reaching out a tentative hand.

Much to Molly's shock, Ginny took his proffered hand without any hesitation and pulled him into a tight embrace as if he were an old friend she hadn't seen in ages. As soon as they touched a blindingly bright concussive shock wave exploded from their epicenter, knocking anyone in its path that was standing down and rattling the shop front windows.

"Ginny!" Molly cried, her voice laced with concern. Scrambling to her feet, she rushed to her daughter's side, somewhat surprised to find her still standing. "Ginny, let go of him this instant!" Molly reached to pull her daughter back, only to be repelled by an invisible barrier. "Ginny!"

Harry and Ginny appeared to be frozen in place, as neither had moved from their spots, and the air around them within the barrier shimmered. Molly tried once again to reach her daughter and once more was pushed back. Panic was beginning to settle in the pit of her stomach when a small popping sound came from nearby. Turning, she saw Professor Dumbledore standing behind her with a flaming red phoenix resting on his shoulder. It would have been a comical sight if the circumstances hadn't been so dire to Molly.

"Professor Dumbledore!" she cried. "Thank goodness! This strange boy whom Hagrid claims is Harry Potter has cast a shield around himself and my daughter, Ginny!"

"Perfessor Dumbledore!" Hagrid called. "There's no way little Harry could have done that!"

Professor Dumbledore observed the scene quietly and approached the two frozen children slowly. Circling around them, he stroked his beard thoughtfully and reached his hand out to touch them. He met the invisible barrier, just as Molly had. Contemplating the dilemma a moment longer, he drew his wand from his sleeve and tapped the barrier. A ripple ran over it, but it remained intact. He tried several more flicks of his wand as well as some incantations, but could not breech the shield.

"I agree with you, Hagrid," Dumbledore finally concurred. "I was reading in my office when my magic detectors began to spin out of control, signifying a very powerful surge in the magical web. Fawkes alerted me to its location and brought us here. I do not believe Harry would be capable of such a strong magical output on his own."

As he finished offering his assessment of the situation to Molly, a goblin from Gringotts, most likely the Head Goblin – if his resplendent three piece suit of grey wool and golden watch fob were any indication – hurried up to the group. Upon seeing the two frozen children, he pulled what looked like a large pocket watch attached to the chain from his vest and flipped it open.

"A Soul Bond," the goblin observed, turning a dial on his watch. "I never imagined I would bear witness to such an event." He turned to Professor Dumbledore and Molly. "Gringotts has already begun drawing up the contract; when the bonding is completed, I will be at your service if you so wish. Simply ask for Adoyrak."

The goblin did not wait for a reply and swiftly headed back the way he had come. Molly stared after him dumbfounded as Dumbledore cast his Phoenix Patronus and whispered urgently to it, flicking his wand quickly to send it to the receiver.

"A Soul Bond would explain many things," he mused, turning back to Molly. "I cannot remember the last recorded date of a bond on the magical scale this one has registered. It is quite powerful."

"No," Molly stated firmly. "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. A Soul Bond?! They are children!"

"How is it that Harry and Ginny met today?" Dumbledore asked.

"We merely bumped into Hagrid and Harry in the street," Molly said, glancing over at her four boys who were staring in fascination at Ginny and Harry.

Dumbledore noticed as well and a look of concern passed over his face. "We cannot allow word of this to leak to anyone." Silently waving his wand, he cast a Notice-Me-Not Spell over the two children so passers-by would not be drawn to the spectacle.

Molly stared at him in utter shock. "You're merely Disillusioning them? You are the most powerful wizard there is, do something to break them apart!"

"I am sure you heard the Head Goblin as well as I did," Professor Dumbledore replied, his pale blue eyes boring into Molly's brown ones. "If a Soul Bond has been initiated, to interfere could cause irreparable harm to Ginny and Harry."

"Ginny and her friend, Luna brewed a silly love potion last week that Ginny drank. I am sure this is a result of that and nothing more. You must be able to do something. There must be an antidote," Molly insisted.

"What potion was it?" Dumbledore asked.

"Aphrodite's Destiny," she explained and Dumbledore chuckled, causing Molly to turn red in anger. "I am glad you can find humour in this, Professor Dumbledore, but pardon me if I do not! This is my ten-year-old daughter we are talking about!"

"And Harry is eleven," Dumbledore countered, his blue eyes flashing. "Until yesterday, Harry was unaware that he was even a wizard. Aphrodite's Destiny merely opens the drinker's eyes to potential future life mates. It is not a tool to initiate Soul Bonds, only ancient magic running in the blood of the witch and wizard can do that."

Dumbledore once again looked over towards where the Weasley boys stood with Hagrid before returning his gaze to Molly. "It would be best if we did not continue to linger in the street, which to others appears to be empty; it would cause undue suspicion. Might I suggest that Hagrid take your sons to finish whatever shopping they have left for school while you and I talk privately in Ollivander's?"

"What about Ginny?" Molly asked, looking over at her daughter who at the moment looked like nothing more than a realistic statue standing in the middle of the street.

"We will be able to see her quite clearly from the window," Dumbledore answered, and beckoned to Hagrid. "Hagrid, would you mind escorting the Weasley boys about their business and then returning them home?"

"Of course, Perfessor Dumbledore," Hagrid said, and looked expectantly over at Molly.

Molly could not remember a time that her life had suddenly been so completely upended. Just moments ago she had been fretting about the number of Galleons she was spending, and now that worry seemed incredibly petty when faced with the current dilemma of her daughter and this boy. Before this moment, she never would have considered sending her sons off with anyone, even if he was the groundskeeper at Hogwarts, but she did not know how long Ginny would be frozen in this state.

Fumbling in her robes for her small change purse, Molly handed it to Percy. "Percy, pick out whatever owl you would like, see that Ron, Fred, and George purchase the supplies they need and I will see you at home."

"Mum," Percy asked, looking extremely concerned. "What is going on with Ginny?"

"We will sort all of this out and be home later," Molly firmly replied. "Now, please go with Hagrid."

"You won't have ta worry about 'em, Molly," Hagrid assured her. "I'll take good care of 'em and wait fer ye at yer home."

"Thank you, Hagrid," Molly said and tried to send a look of reassurance over to her boys, but knew she was failing miserably as a mother at the moment. All she could think about was her little girl and the predicament she had gotten herself into by meddling with magic she did not understand.

Not long after the group had departed, Professor McGonagall Apparated into the lane nearby and hurried over to Professor Dumbledore. "Albus, I checked the wards around Number Four Privet Drive as you asked, and they've fallen, as you suspected." She twisted her hands nervously and glanced over at Molly before continuing in a lower voice. "What are we to do? It would be unsafe for Harry to return there. He'd be vulnerable. Not that I would want to send him back, not after what Hagrid informed us of his living conditions."

"What is this about this boy being vulnerable?" Molly butted in. "What are you talking about?"

"I suggest we speak of this in private," Dumbledore answered and ushered them into Ollivander's.

Ollivander was standing behind his counter tallying his sales for the day and looked startled to see the headmaster of Hogwarts entering his shop. "Professor Dumbledore, what a surprise! How may I help you today?"

"Garrick," Dumbledore nodded. "I was hoping I could have a private word with Professor McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley here in your shop."

"Of course," Ollivander replied. "I don't expect I will have too many more customers today. Although, I did have quite the shock this morning when Harry Potter walked through those doors. Sold him a rather interesting wand as well; eleven inches, holly with a phoenix feather core." He looked pointedly at Dumbledore as he spoke; his eyes roving over the phoenix still perched on Dumbledore's shoulder.

"I don't CARE what kind of wand Harry Potter purchased!" Molly spat, annoyed at the amount of time they had wasted with trivial matters instead of addressing the issue of her daughter frozen like a stone standing outside the shop, embracing a boy she had only heard about in stories and never met before today.

Dumbledore nodded and looked apologetically over at Ollivander. "If you would give us a few moments, Garrick?"

Ollivander nodded hastily and disappeared into the stacks of wands, closing a door at the back of his shop only after casting a final curious glance in Molly's direction.

"Molly," Dumbledore began. "First, I would ask that you try to calm down. I understand that you are distraught, but there are several important matters I need to discuss with you regarding Harry's safety. Minerva's news was most distressing as that means Harry is now extremely vulnerable to attack."

"What are you talking about?" Molly asked.

"I was forced to place Harry in his mother's sister's home for his own safety, in order to keep him hidden from those in the Wizarding world who may want to cause him harm," Dumbledore explained. "To date, there is no more powerful a ward than a blood ward. However, it would appear that once the Soul Bond commenced, those wards were no longer effective, nor will I be able to reinstate them, as the bond between Harry and Ginny now negates the protection his mother gave him when she died."

Molly's face turned ashen. "Are you saying Ginny is in danger now as well?"

"If it is discovered that they are linked, then yes," Dumbledore answered. "However, the bond forged today between Harry and Ginny could prove to be more valuable to us than the blood ward ever was," Dumbledore continued. "As I said before, to date there has never been a ward more powerful than a blood ward, but a true Soul Bond would enable us to enforce a ward that would be virtually impenetrable."

"Where?" Molly asked, her suspicions rising at the course she thought Dumbledore was headed with his train of thought.

"When Harry and Ginny emerge and we sort out the details with Gringotts, I would like to travel with you and check the wards at your house," Dumbledore replied. "I believe Harry's magical protection has been transferred to your home; I would like to know for certain if that is true."

"Why do you need to know that?" Molly asked.

"If the protection has been transferred," Dumbledore said. "Then the only place Harry would be truly protected would be your home."

Molly glared up at Dumbledore, anger filling her eyes. "It seems to me that all you care about is protecting that boy! What about my daughter? How exactly is this bond beneficial to my Ginny? So far, it sounds as though the only thing it has done for her is put her in mortal danger!"

"By protecting Harry, I am protecting Ginny as well," Dumbledore simply explained. "Lord Voldemort's body has never been found; therefore, we have never been able to confirm his death. Irrespective of that, there are still supporters of his that are either at large or were set free who may harbour ill-will towards Harry."

"And yet, it was perfectly safe for him to visit Diagon Alley today," Molly grumbled bitterly.

"As I have already explained," Dumbledore replied. "Until the moment Ginny took Harry's hand, he was under the protection of the blood wards at his aunt's home. No one knew where he was or if he were even alive. Until I can establish new wards both he and Ginny are at risk."

"I can't believe this is happening," Molly whispered, her anger deflating as quickly as it had consumed her. "What is Arthur going to say? How could I have let this happen?"

Dumbledore smiled kindly. "I do not think you would have been able to prevent it. I believe this event was set in motion long before either Harry or Ginny even physically existed."

"I wonder if I should contact Arthur?" Molly queried aloud.

"I will notify him of the situation," Dumbledore said. "Perhaps I should suggest that he meet us at Gringotts?"

As Molly nodded, Professor Dumbledore pulled a piece of parchment from within his robes and hastily wrote a note for Arthur Weasley. Afterward, he walked outside Ollivander's shop and handed it to Fawkes, who obediently took it in his beak, and lifted off Dumbledore's shoulder before disappearing in a sudden burst of flames.

Molly followed numbly behind the headmaster wondering how it could be possible that just that morning she had been worried about her daughter moping around the house and whether or not she had punished her too severely. Now, Molly was dealing with something far worse. Surely, the Head Goblin could be made to see reason and they could quickly rectify this situation before it spiralled even further out of control.

Glancing over towards where her daughter stood, Molly was beginning to wonder if she would ever move again when Dumbledore's Notice-Me-Not Spell shimmered around the children. She felt a burst of fresh air waft past her as a now unfrozen Ginny pulled out of the embrace and tugging on Harry's hand, headed towards Molly.

"Mum!" she said breathlessly, looking, much to Molly's chagrin, brighter and happier than she had that morning or ever, for that matter. "You'll never believe what just happened!"


	3. Chapter Two - The Meadow

**Author's Notes: **Thanks to everyone who has read and left a review; I really appreciate them. Many thanks go out to Arnel, for beta-ing.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

As soon as Ginny took Harry's hand she felt an electromagnetic charge run up her arm and it suddenly made perfect sense to pull him into an embrace as if she had known him her entire life. When they fully touched, Diagon Alley spun around them as if they had just stepped onto a carousel and when it came to a stop, the cobblestone streets, shops, as well as her mother, brothers, and Hagrid had been replaced by a bright, sunlit meadow.

Even though the world around them may have stopped revolving, Harry's mind was still spinning with all the information that he had been introduced to in the past few hours.

He was a wizard – check. His parents had died trying to save him – check. Somehow he had supposedly defeated the most powerful wizard ever when he was a baby – check. A man who looked like a giant had befriended him – check. He had entered a magical world hidden within the streets of London – check. A little girl with blazing red hair and chocolate brown eyes had hugged him – check. He and the same little girl were now suddenly standing alone in the middle of a grassy clearing - check. That was a lot of firsts in one day, and he really needed to sit down.

Harry's knees buckled and he fell heavily to the ground, pulling a still slightly dazed Ginny with him. She tumbled next to him, but immediately sat up on her knees, pushing her confusion over their whereabouts aside, and looked at him with concern.

"Harry, are you all right?" Ginny asked, relaxing her grip when she realized how tightly she was squeezing his hand.

"I just – need a moment," he answered, closing his eyes to catch his breath, which was hitching in his chest. Gasping, Harry placed his free hand on the ground next to him to try and steady himself. It was extremely difficult to understand how everything he had known for ten years of his life was completely and utterly wrong. He wanted nothing more than for that to be true and finally be free of the constant daily torment that was his life at the Dursleys, but he was fearful that this would turn out to be nothing more than a very cruel dream. The more he thought about it, the more he was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe properly, because as far as he had been told, until today at least, none of this was even possible. Not to mention the rage his aunt and uncle would have exhibited towards him if he had ever breathed a word about events half as fantastical as what he was currently experiencing

"Merlin, you're hyper-ventilating!" Ginny exclaimed, feeling a phantom tightness in her own breast. She vaguely wondered if it was caused by her own misgivings or if she was feeding off the overwhelming feelings that were cascading off Harry in waves. His fear was understandable, and she thought she should be more concerned over how they had managed to arrive in a deserted meadow, but all she could focus on at the moment was attempting to calm Harry down. The only way she could think of doing that was to send reassuring thoughts his way while gently rubbing his arm.

What she really wanted to do more than anything was hug him again, but she was afraid that may cause their world to spin out of control once more and he might disappear. She couldn't believe he was actually real, but his hand in hers was warm, and the fabric of his shirt felt rough against her other hand. Leaning forward she tried to look him in the eyes, hoping the visual contact would settle him, but Harry's were squeezed tightly closed as he attempted to collect his scattered thoughts. Blurry images of a screeching horse-faced woman and a beastly bellowing man swam before her mind's eye, but there was no one like that here. It was just her and Harry, alone in a very peaceful and beautiful meadow; no monsters allowed. Closing her eyes, Ginny breathed slowly and deeply, focusing on the soothing setting.

Harry felt a jolt run up his arm from their clasped hands, and a strong sense of tranquillity flooded through him. Somehow the peaceful feelings chased away the fear and anxiety he had just been experiencing and they quickly settled his racing heart and breathing.

He looked up at Ginny with wide eyes, clamping tightly down on the alarm that threatened to resurface. "How'd you do that? Can all witches and wizards do that?"

Opening her eyes, Ginny found herself looking directly into Harry's amazingly green ones and a very strange feeling swelled inside her that she had no name for. She wasn't sure what she had even done or how. She'd only been thinking of reassuring him, and the next thing she knew it was as if that feeling was travelling out of her and into him, casting his panic aside in its wake. As a matter of fact, she could still feel it flowing between them and now it was infused with the unnamed emotion as well.

"It's coming from you," Harry insisted. "I feel it!"

"I feel it too," Ginny finally agreed, but shook her head in befuddlement. "I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not even allowed to practice magic yet; it must be accidental. I was just thinking that I needed to do something to calm you down."

"Well, whatever it is, it's working," Harry answered, accepting her answer even if he couldn't understand how it was possible to share feelings. After everything else that had already occurred today, what was one more mystery? He'd just have to add it to his growing list.

"Thanks," he added, and feeling relatively settled, took a moment to glance around their surroundings. Now that he had a chance to take a closer look, he realized he had seen this place before in his dreams over the past week. They'd been wonderful dreams that allowed him to escape from the punishing results of the spilt milk, the letters his uncle wouldn't allow him read and being locked in his cupboard for hours because of the hundreds of owls perched outside their house. Dreaming of this place and a little girl with red hair named Ginny had dampened all the horrible things that had seemed to come to a head in the past week of his waking life to the point that he hadn't even minded being locked in his cupboard, since then he could drift to sleep and hope he would meet her here again.

Here was the middle of a small meadow surrounded by a thicket of trees. Yellow buttercups dotted the green grass and in the near distance the faint sound of a trickling stream drifted over a warm breeze that smelled of jasmine and lavender. The sky above was a pale blue with just a few clouds drifting by, and everything about the setting was bright, sharp, and clear. While he could never remember his dreams exactly, he always remembered sitting in the grass with Ginny, and had the distinct feeling that this place was meant only for them. Until today he had never been able to touch her however, and glancing down at their joined hands, he wondered how it was they were here once again but suddenly able to do so.

"I've dreamed about you in this place for over a week now," he said quietly. "Is this a dream too?"

Ginny glanced around them, picking a few buttercups and holding them in the palm of her hand. She knew her past week spent confined at The Burrow would seem like heaven to Harry compared to his life. She knew this without him having to tell her, because somehow as he was remembering his torturous week, she could picture it in her mind as well. All the same, she had slept as much as she could after waking from the potion because sitting here in this meadow with Harry was the closest thing to heaven _she_ had ever experienced.

"If it is," she answered honestly. "I would rather not wake up this time."

"I wonder why I never dreamed about you before last week," Harry mused. "It would have been nice to have had a friend, even if it was only when I slept."

"You think of me as a friend?" Ginny asked timidly.

"I've never had a friend before," Harry admitted, his face flushing with humiliation. "I thought that was what you were, I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Ginny asked, feeling his insecurity ripple through her to mingle with the elation that had surged within her when he mentioned being her friend. "I'd really like that, a lot."

Harry smiled slightly, relief flooding his eyes. "Funny, I can tell that you really mean that. It's very strange. What would happen if we let our hands go? Do you know?"

"I suppose we would return to Diagon Alley," Ginny considered and then grimaced, remembering her mother and the sound of her voice as Ginny embraced Harry. "I'd rather not go back there just yet."

Harry sensed her trepidation, but flexed his fingers anyway. "I don't think I could let go even if I wanted to. It's like we're stuck. So, does this sort of thing happen often? Is this something I should get used to living in the Wizarding world?"

Ginny giggled in spite of herself and looked over at him. His face, however, was very serious and his bright green eyes were wide with curiosity. She realized that of course he honestly had no idea seeing as until today he hadn't even known anything about magic or that he was actually a wizard.

"I brewed a potion with a friend of mine," Ginny slowly confessed, somewhat afraid of what Harry's reaction would be when she told him the truth. "But it was only supposed to show you the face of your soul mate in the cauldron steam. Only it didn't work, and I passed out instead. When I woke up I felt different, as if I had left a part of myself behind somewhere. Then, that night I began having dreams where I would meet you here and in those moments I felt complete again."

"Soul mate," Harry repeated. "Is that what you are?"

Ginny blushed furiously and looked down at her knees. "I – I don't know. I'm starting to think the potion may have awakened something within us. I'm so sorry! My mum punished me for playing with magic I didn't understand, but Luna had assured me it was just a silly potion. Nothing like this happening was mentioned at all!"

"So, this isn't normal then?" Harry asked.

Ginny shook her head. "No."

Harry mulled what she said over. As he held her hand, he could sense every emotion roiling through her as if they were his own and with every passing moment it became stronger. At the moment she was distraught, and he wanted to assure her that he wasn't angry. The only trouble was he wasn't quite sure how to do that. She hadn't properly explained earlier how she had made him feel better without using words. He certainly didn't have any experience reassuring friends, since she was his first, and that thought made Harry inwardly smile. Ginny was his first friend, and he was exceedingly glad that she had found him. Being with her made everything feel right and he had a very distinct feeling that they had been destined to be together – if not today then someday.

Ginny gasped and felt a flush creep up her neck. "You believe we were meant to be together. You're not angry with me?"

"It worked!" Harry exclaimed, thrilled that somehow he had succeeded with getting his point across without having to say anything and risk embarrassment or worse rejection. However, he still didn't have a clue how any of this was even possible.

"No, I'm not angry, but I have to admit that I'm still confused," he conceded. "This kind of thing doesn't happen in the, what do you call it, Miggle world?"

Ginny snickered. "Muggle world. And it doesn't happen here either."

"So," Harry said. "We really should sort out where we are then."

"Do you think this place is real?" Ginny asked, looking down at the buttercups she still held in her hand. Their small, silky petals felt real against her skin, and more than anything she wanted a memento of this moment. She tucked them away in her robe pocket, hoping that when she and Harry finally returned to Diagon Alley, somehow the flowers would return as well.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe we should explore a bit before we try to go back? Er, if we can even figure that out. I mean, before I just woke up, but I'm fairly certain I wasn't sleeping today when this happened. At least, I hope I wasn't because… well…" he trailed off, not wanting to voice his misgiving.

"I'm certain I wasn't asleep when we met today," Ginny assured, knowing exactly what it was he didn't want to say and saving him from having to.

Harry smiled gratefully at her and helped her up so they could wander about the meadow. Even though Ginny had been here several times over the past week, those times had become muted and ethereal during the waking hours. Ginny could remember his name and what he and the meadow looked like, but that was all. She had always felt contented when she awoke, as if she had just spent a lovely afternoon with her best friend. However, when she became fully awake, a heavy sadness would weigh upon her, accompanied by a painful emptiness that only subsided when she slept and met Harry here. She wasn't sure how any of it could be possible with a boy she had really only physically met today, but she felt like she had already spent an eternity with him.

"That's strange too, yeah?" Harry asked as they walked towards the tree line.

"What?" Ginny said, looking up at him.

"Didn't you say you felt like we had spent an eternity together?" Harry asked, as they neared the thicket where the stream sounded loudest.

Ginny stopped, fairly certain she hadn't spoken. "I thought it, but I didn't think I said it aloud though."

"Oh," Harry muttered, his brow furrowing and he averted his gaze from her questioning brown eyes to look through the trees. "I'd like to find the stream, it doesn't sound far."

He tugged on her hand and pulled her into the copse. The trees grew tall around them, swaying gently in the breeze and stretching their leafy branches towards the sky. The ground was completely clear of any type of undergrowth and was packed smooth, almost as if some type of wildlife trekked through there on a daily basis. However, there were no signs or sounds of anything else alive in the forest except the two of them.

As the gurgle of running water became louder, the trees thinned out once again to reveal a smaller clearing with a burn running through it. Harry stopped abruptly at the tree line and Ginny bumped into him before realizing he had paused.

"Why did you stop?" Ginny asked, stepping up next to him in order to see the clearing better.

"Look," Harry whispered in an awestruck voice, pointing across the clearing to the other side of the brook. As soon as he had stepped into the clearing his eyes had immediately been drawn to two deer grazing on patches of grass on the opposite side of the burn.

The stag raised his head majestically as soon as the two children halted and gazed at them with hazel eyes that sparkled in the sunlight. The doe beside him lifted her head as well and gently nuzzled her mate before looking over at Harry and Ginny. She took several tentative steps towards them before stopping, remaining perfectly still as she surveyed them.

"They're beautiful!" Ginny whispered. Both deer appeared to shimmer around the edges, as if they weren't quite real. Ginny wasn't sure if it was only a trick of the sunlight or if the animals actually were spectral.

Taking a small step, Harry pulled them closer to the doe that continued to gaze at them while the stag stood watch behind her. A moment later, the doe took a step, matching Harry's until only the narrow, shallow stream separated them. Lowering her head, the doe drank from the water, and when she lifted it again, Ginny noticed for the first time that instead of having brown eyes like most deer, the doe's glittered emerald green.

"Harry," Ginny started, but stopped when she looked over and saw him standing next to her, staring at the doe, transfixed, with eyes that were, Ginny just realized, the exact same colour as the doe's.

"I think she knows me," he murmured, reaching out his hand. The doe in turn stretched her neck over the water and brushed the end of her muzzle against his fingertips.

Inexplicably, Ginny felt tears filling her eyes at the strength of emotion in that light touch, which somehow she could feel as if her own hand was caressing the doe. The magical power pulsing in the air of the clearing was almost tangible, and Ginny couldn't tell if it was coming from the two deer, her and Harry or if it was a combination of them all. Mingled within the magic was pure, unadulterated love, which was emanating from the doe and suffusing the space around them.

Harry rubbed his fingers gently over the doe's nose, feeling a peace he had never felt in his life. Not only a peace, but something he supposed could be defined as love. Not really knowing what that would feel like, it was his best guess and it seemed to please the doe. He thought she'd be smiling at him as a mother would if she could, and a surge of acceptance flowed over him, making his heart ache with longing.

A voice in his mind whispered to him, _Don't cry, sweetheart, this is only the beginning_. _Now that you have found Ginny, the two of you will be able to return here and visit with me again when you are stronger. Until then, always remember how much I love you._

Somehow Harry knew the doe would always be waiting for him in this place. She took a reluctant step back and sadly he sensed it was already time to go. Ginny touched his arm lightly, a tear trickling down her cheek.

"I think that was my mum," Harry whispered.

"I know," Ginny replied. "I wish we didn't have to go so soon."

Harry turned back to the deer; his eyes shimmering with unshed tears behind his glasses. "We can come back one day."

The stag bowed his head towards Ginny and Harry and slowly the deer retreated into the woods, the doe casting one final glance over her shoulder before disappearing completely from view. Just as the deer had faded from sight, the rest of Harry and Ginny's surroundings dimmed, replaced once again by the cobblestones and brick façades of Diagon Alley.


	4. Chapter Three - The Significance

**Author's notes: **Happy Holidays! I apologize for the delay in posting. Thanks again to Arnel for beta-ing, and thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. I greatly appreciate it. I hope you will enjoy this installment.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Adoyrak, the Head Goblin of Gringotts sat on the plush, leather chair behind his large gleaming walnut desk watching a golden script scroll across a yellowed piece of parchment sitting in the middle of his blotter. The day had turned out to be quite eventful for starting out so slowly.

Earlier, his assistant, Griphook, had informed him that a young boy claiming to be Harry Potter had arrived that morning requesting access to his student vault, and had produced the proper golden key. Upon checking the bank's entry ledger after Griphook had returned to his post, Adoyrak had seen that indeed James and Lily Potter's just-turned eleven-year-old son, Harry, had entered the bank that morning accompanied by Rubeus Hagrid, the groundskeeper at Hogwarts.

The bank was required by wizard law to hold vaults indefinitely when it was uncertain if any witch of wizard remained that bore the family name, in case sometime in the future someone stepped forward claiming the right. Gringotts was equipped with magical family detection wards that noted the name of each witch and wizard who entered and exited the building. These ledgers were not checked on a daily basis, as all of the goblins currently working were aware of each and every magical being living within the United Kingdom. There were a few unknowns, such as Harry Potter, and Adoyrak did try to make it a habit to review the ledgers at least once a week.

The appearance of Harry Potter that morning had caused quite a stir, but not nearly as much as what occurred a few short hours later. Adoyrak had been balancing the morning's records when the event watch in his vest pocket had vibrated violently. This usually occurred when the last living heir to a vault passed or if an additional family member had been added either by marriage or birth.

Pulling the watch from his pocket, Adoyrak had been surprised to yet again see Harry Potter's name followed by that of Ginevra Weasley, the seventh child born to Arthur and Molly Weasley and the only female to be born in seven generations to the Weasley family. According to his watch, at that very moment, Harry and Ginevra had entered into a Soul Bond, the strongest of all bonds, and of which had not been witnessed for over 1700 years.

Noting the proximity, Adoyrak had hastened to the spot to witness the occurrence for himself. It was beyond anything he had ever seen in his 90 years of life and he quickly made note of it in his watch, adding that he had been a physical signatory of the event.

Ginevra's mother had also been present and it had been clear to Adoyrak that she was dismayed at the turn of events. He was certain that she would arrive shortly after the bond was complete in its forging and demand that Adoyrak reverse the union. Surely she already knew that Soul Bonds were not reversible and once entered into could not be taken lightly; however, he did not doubt that she would at least make an attempt.

It never ceased to surprise him the things Goblins knew that the Wizarding world had forgotten over the years. Goblins never forgot and passed all their knowledge on from generation to generation. Adoyrak had, of course, never known of a Wizarding couple to enter into any sort of bond aside from the physical, but his father and his grandfather, and so on and so forth had instilled in him all the information he would ever need to know regarding bonding and the four different levels.

The most common bond, and one all couples entered in either before or after marriage was the Physical Bond. They did not call it thus, but it was the bond that was forged to unite a couple as one. However, it was the weakest of all the bonds, easily broken, and was not magical in the Wizarding sense.

The Emotional Bond was a tenuous one for most magical beings. Sharing each other's emotional states could result in madness. It took immense discipline in order to acknowledge each other's emotional condition while retaining control of your own. If successful, it was always helpful for partners to understand each other's emotional fluctuations, for if they were in tune with one another, it resulted in fewer misunderstandings.

The Magical Bond was a valuable and powerful one and rarer, second only to the Spiritual or Soul Bond. When a couple was able to forge a Magical Bond, they shared each other's magical core and energy, and therefore could draw upon that magic at will as if it were their own. It was extremely difficult and dangerous to forge a Magical Bond, for there was always the danger of depleting one or both magical cores if the bond was abused, which could result in permanent magical debilitation.

The last, the strongest and rarest of all the bonds, the Spiritual Bond was, unlike the other bonds, unbreakable. Once a couple joined on the spiritual level there was no turning back. If the souls were not compatible, the end result always led to death. The Soul Bond was the only one of the four bonds that automatically resulted in an immediate magical marital contract, as it invariably led to the remaining three bonds.

At one time the Ministry immediately recognized Soul Bonds just as Gringotts did, but with the passage of time and the diminishment of bonds altogether, the Ministry had rewritten its laws and abhorrently in Adoyrak's eyes, followed the Muggle rule of drawing up marriage contracts prior to the wedding and having the bride and groom sign their names.

Adoyrak was pleased that Gringotts continued to follow the ancient magical laws, as it was much simpler when the law was dictated by the magic itself, at least for him. Glancing back down at the parchment on his desktop, he saw that the bonding was complete and the magical signatures had been forged. In the course of mere hours a vault that had been in question for years, now suddenly had two familial members firmly attached to it. It would not be long now until all the parties involved would request a meeting with him.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

"Ginny is not signing anything!" Molly Weasley hissed, without preamble as soon as she entered Adoyrak's office, dragging her baffled daughter behind her, and followed by her husband Arthur Weasley, who looked as if he had been blind-sided. Following behind them, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall ushered in Harry Potter who appeared very small indeed for a boy his age and equally as confused.

Pushing the children to the side, the four adult wizards argued over them as if they didn't exist at all or had any say in the matters at hand.

"Molly," Arthur said quietly. "Please try to calm down. We will sort this out."

"Calm down?" Molly repeated in astonishment. "If you had seen our daughter frozen solid, I don't think you would be so calm either, Arthur!"

"Molly," Arthur began again only to be interrupted by Dumbledore.

"I am most anxious to settle matters with Adoyrak so we can focus on what needs to be done to ensure the safety of Harry _and _Ginny," Professor Dumbledore interjected.

"Of course you are!" Molly spat. "As far as you are concerned my daughter is simply a pawn that you are being forced to use in order to continue to protect Harry!"

"That most certainly is not true, Molly," Dumbledore replied looking very much aggrieved. "I am concerned for both children equally."

"Molly, I am sure Professor Dumbledore is simply trying to look out for Harry's best interests just as you and I are for Ginny," Arthur tried to explain in an attempt to appeal to his wife's senses. "It's clear the boy has no one else to champion his cause."

Molly glared up at her husband. "I cannot believe you are siding with him!"

"I am firmly on your side, Molly." Arthur sighed, looking thoroughly defeated.

Adoyrak sat in his chair behind his desk and rifled through the stack of parchment in front of him, seemingly having ignored the group's entrance and their current heated debate. He had expected such a scene and disregarded the verbal battle being waged by the adults to quietly make note of the only people in the room that mattered to him, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. They both looked shell-shocked and as her mother's attentions were averted towards the headmaster of Hogwarts and her husband, Ginny reached over and took Harry's hand. As soon as she did so, they both visibly sagged in relief.

So, while they may not understand the exact meaning of what was happening around them, it was clear to Adoyrak that the couple instinctually knew that their hold on this life and the spiritual one they had just forged was a tenuous one. Growing tired of the escalating noise in his office, he decided to take control of the situation.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Adoyrak loudly called over to them, effectively bringing any further argument between the adults to a close for the time being. "Please have a seat, so we can conclude our business as quickly as possible." He indicated two chairs that sat in front of his desk.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, not moving from his spot by the wall and staring at Adoyrak incredulously. "Who's Mrs. Potter? I thought my only living relatives were my aunt, uncle, and cousin."

"She is your wife," Adoyrak explained, reminding himself that before today this boy had been lost to the Wizarding world and may not be aware of the workings within.

Harry looked around the room at the two professors, Ginny's parents and then Ginny herself, who looked as confounded as he did, before returning his gaze to Adoyrak. "Who's my wife?"

Adoyrak peered over at Harry before pulling his golden pocket watch out and flipping it open, twisting a few dials on the side. He lifted the top most parchment off the pile on his desk and consulted it as well. "At precisely 12:36 pm this afternoon, Wednesday, July 31, 1991 Ginevra Molly Weasley and Harry James Potter were united in spiritual matrimony. Ginevra is your wife, Mr. Potter."

As soon as Adoyrak had uttered the words, the two children dropped their clasped hands as if they had been burned and Harry swallowed hard, gaping at Adoyrak. Next to him, Ginny made a small mew of surprise and quickly covered her face in embarrassment. Harry nervously adjusted his glasses and looked at Adoyrak with consternation, all the while attempting to school his features and give nothing of what he was truly feeing away.

"I'm sorry but," Harry finally managed to gulp out. "Erm, aren't we rather young to be married?"

"Not according to Gringotts Bank Law," Adoyrak answered. "If you would, please have a seat." Adoyrak indicated the chairs once again. Arthur guided his daughter gently towards a seat and settled her, before standing behind the chair with her quietly raging mother. Adoyrak waited patiently while the Hogwarts professors did the same with Harry before continuing. "Gringotts recognizes a Soul Bond as the strongest marital union. Accordingly, you have been granted full access, not only to the student vault your parents left in trust to you, Mr. Potter, but your family vault and all estates connected to the Potter name."

Gobsmacked, Harry blinked at Adoyrak several times before taking a deep breath and speaking. "I have another vault besides the one I saw today? That vault looked like it had enough money in it as it was."

If goblins could smirk, Adoyrak would have done so, instead he narrowed his eyes and smiled grimly over at the boy. "Mr. Potter, I believe you are greatly underestimating your wealth. The Potter family is the third wealthiest Wizarding family residing here in the United Kingdom, third only to the Black and Malfoy families."

"And, since you think Ginny is my, er wife," Harry stated slowly, colouring as he said it. "She has been added to my accounts?"

"I checked the marital registry at the Ministry before I left," Arthur interceded. "Harry and Ginny's marriage has not been recorded."

"Until the bonding is physically consummated, the Ministry will not recognize the union," Adoyrak stated dispassionately. "The bank cares nothing of such matters."

Loud noises of unintelligible protest were all Molly was able to utter at this statement as her husband attempted to calm her down once again.

"Consu – what?" Harry asked looking confused. "I don't understand what that means."

"You do not need to," Adoyrak said, looking pointedly over the children's-heads towards the adults in the room. "As Head Goblin of Gringotts it is not my place or concern to explain such matters to you."

"But," Ginny started, peeking through her fingers at him.

"You are young," Adoyrak interrupted; annoyed that despite the fact that there were four adult wizards present it had seemingly fallen upon him to explain the basic mechanics of bonding. "When two souls choose to be spiritually bonded at such an early age, it allows you time to become acquainted intimately on all the other levels – spiritually, emotionally, and magically – so when you are finally ready for the physical act of bonding, there will be no barriers between you."

"Over my dead body!" Molly spat, finding her voice and glaring at Adoyrak.

"By the time they are mature enough and ready, they will not need to ask your permission," he said, returning Molly's gaze impassively.

"I move we table this part of the discussion until much later," Arthur suggested. "It's clear neither Ginny nor Harry understand what you are talking about and I think it best if we move on to the more pressing matter of what we do now."

Adoyrak nodded, and slid the contract across his desk towards Harry and Ginny. "If you would sign this, I would be more than happy to escort you to your vaults."

"I told you she isn't signing anything!" Molly exclaimed, swiping the parchment off the desk and tearing it to shreds. "There!"

Adoyrak sighed heavily and looked over at her. "It has already been done, Mrs. Weasley. The bank began drawing this magical contract up as soon as the union took place. It will simply continue to rewrite it." He lifted the next piece of parchment off his desk where golden writing was already scrolling over the page. "It is merely a formality asking Mrs. Potter for her signature. Whether she signs or not, the contract is binding."

"Stop calling her that," Molly seethed, grabbing Ginny's hand and pulling her from her seat. "We are leaving this moment."

Marching towards the door, Molly flung it open and stomped out into the main hall of Gringotts, dragging her daughter behind her. Ginny, begging her mother to stop, attempted to dig in her heels and pull her hand free from her mother's grip, but was unable to do so and stumbled out of sight after her irate mother. Arthur followed briskly behind them, calling for his wife to wait.

Harry had half risen from his seat with the obvious intent of pursuing them, but as the footsteps of the Weasleys retreated and their voices faded his face suddenly turned ashen and he slumped back into the chair. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and in the span of mere seconds, his breathing had become laboured as his entire body began to shake uncontrollably. Professor McGonagall knelt in front of him and lifting his hand in hers, checked his pulse.

"Albus," she said, looking up at the Headmaster in concern.

Professor Dumbledore exchanged a quick worried glance with Adoyrak before sweeping out of the office after the Weasleys. Adoyrak was relieved that while the Weasleys clearly did not understand the full meaning of a spiritual bond, the professors did. The bond was extremely fragile in its current state. In time it would strengthen and the couple would be able to be separated by great distances and still sense one another's presence, but until that time separation would be fatal. It was the bond's defence mechanism to ensure its survival.

Professor McGonagall vainly attempted to restrain Harry, but all she could do was prevent him from slipping off the chair. She continued to hold his hands in hers, worry etched across her features. However, as rapidly as the episode had begun it ceased, and the boy's head lolled against the back of the chair in unconsciousness.

Arthur returned as quickly as he had departed, carrying his now limp daughter in his arms and gently settled down in the seat she had just vacated, cradling her in his lap. Professor Dumbledore supported an openly weeping Molly who immediately knelt by her daughter's side, and clasped her small hands between her own.

"It is becoming clear to me that the bond between Harry and Ginny runs deeper than I had initially suspected. We need to care for it as we would a budding flower," Dumbledore stated gently. "It is tender and needs nourishment or it will die."

"That's what I want!" Molly cried, rubbing her thumbs over her daughter's knuckles. "I want it to break. She's too young for this. They both are! She should still be playing with toys and dolls, not dealing with something she doesn't understand."

"Then you sentence your daughter and this boy to their deaths," Adoyrak lashed out, his eyes cold. "The Wizarding world has not seen a Soul Bond in over a thousand years. It is a power not to be trifled with."

"Adoyrak is correct," Professor Dumbledore agreed. "Whatever our wishes may have been for both Harry and Ginny will now have to be altered."

"You act as if their lives are over," Adoyrak said in astonishment. "When they have only just begun with eyes more open to the world around them than you or I could ever hope to attain."

"What do you know?" Molly screeched. "All you care about it who owns how much and how it will bring profit to you and your bank!"

"Yes, my job is to manage this bank efficiently and follow magical law as it pertains to such matters," Adoyrak said slowly, rising from his seat to his full height and glowering at Molly. "And yet it was I that had to explain to your daughter the significance of the union she entered into today."

"I understand the significance," Ginny whispered, stirring weakly in her father's lap. "I want it."

"Why?" Molly cried, turning back to her daughter. "You don't know anything about this boy!"

"I do, Mum!" Ginny replied, attempting to sit up. "I know everything about him. I know his relatives were horrible to him and they know it too!" She glanced accusingly over at Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, who both looked up from attending a just reviving Harry with some guilt evident on their faces. "I know that his mum would want to know he's being properly looked after now and who better than you?"

"His mum?" Molly questioned, peering at her daughter.

"Yes," Ginny said. "I tried to tell you when we returned, but you wouldn't let me. We saw two beautiful deer in the meadow that Harry thinks were his parents, and I agree with him."

Molly laughed nervously. "Do you hear what you are saying? This is fantasy; an imaginary world you have made up. It doesn't exist. This is exactly what I mean; you are not ready for the responsibility."

"No, Mum!" Ginny said forcefully. "It wasn't a fantasy. It was real!" She pointed to the glowing parchment on Adoyrak's desk. "That proves it's real, and if that isn't enough for you, then here –"

Reaching into the pocket of her robes, Ginny withdrew something she held tightly in her hand. Adoyrak watched as she held her clenched fist, palm down out towards her mother. "You can't take Harry away from me, Mum. If I can't be with him here, I will find him in the meadow. Because no matter what you say or do, you will never be able to take that away from us."

Molly stared into her daughter's warm brown eyes that were full of conviction and her own welled up with tears. Tentatively she laid her open palm on her daughter's lap, and Ginny released what she had been holding. Little yellow flowers drifted down like tiny falling stars and landed softly in her mother's hand, and with them came the faint smell of jasmine and lavender.


	5. Epilogue - The Result

**Author's Notes: **As this was written for a challenge on SIYE, one of the requirements was that it be a completed work, therefore this is the last installment. However, I really enjoyed creating this alternate universe for Harry and Ginny and have started to write about their first year. Keep a look out for it in the future!

Thanks again to my fantastic beta, Arnel. I hope you all will enjoy it and thanks for reading and reviewing.

**hghghghg**

_Where are you?_ nearly thirteen-year-old Ginny thought as she crested the hill from Luna's house and looked down at The Burrow, nestled in its little valley. From where she stood she could see the faint wisp of smoke from the stovepipe wafting its way into the sky to mingle with the clouds and knew what that meant. Her mum was in the kitchen fixing Harry's birthday dinner, which of course always included his most favourite dessert, Treacle Tart.

_At the paddock with Ron and the twins, _Harry's reply came to her and she grinned. That could only mean one thing as well, and standing perfectly still she closed her eyes and attempted to reach out to him over the thread. They'd been practicing for months, with little success at actually being able to 'see' what the other one was doing.

Harry had managed it briefly the other day when she had been in the kitchen helping her mother chop carrots for dinner. However, his comment on her lousy chopping technique had startled her so much, that she'd shoved him forcefully back, and a loud yelp, thump and the clatter of something breaking had sounded from upstairs. Ginny had winced with brief empathy before thinking he deserved it for sneaking up on her. She didn't bother to apologize to him when her mother stomped over to the stairs and yelled up that he'd better fix whatever it was he'd just broken or he'd be de-gnoming the garden. Little did her mum know, Harry loved de-gnoming the garden, so it really wasn't much of a threat.

Clearing her mind, she tried to sense his movement through the air on his Firebolt and thought she actually felt the wind blowing her hair away from her face. Grasping onto that she pressed further and in a sudden moment of pure clarity she could feel the smooth leather of the practice Quaffle as if she were the one holding it and the breathtakingly rapid speed at which Harry was pushing the broom.

_You're going to crash if you keep up that rate, _Ginny blithely commented, feeling him wobble and nearly fall off the broom, causing her to giggle merrily. _I bet Fred and George are going to take the mickey out of you over that little manoeuvre._

_Gah! Are you trying to make me crash?_

_No. I'm trying to help. Ron thinks you are going to throw the Quaffle to his right, _Ginny said, 'seeing' Ron watch Harry's erratic approach and correctly anticipating where he was going to aim the Quaffle.

_I am._

_Then, don't you think you should throw left? _Ginny suggested, sighing inwardly.

_Oh right, er, I mean left._

Ginny giggled again.

_You're distracting me._ Even as he said it she could feel his elation that they had made a small breakthrough with their bond, and she smiled.

_I know, but clearly you needed my help. I think you should stick to Seeking. _Ginny's magical strength suddenly lagged and as much as she would have liked to stay with Harry until he actually scored, if only to see the look on her brother's face, she could feel her hold on the thread slipping and immediately pulled back. She sighed; feeling her energy waning so soon was frustrating.

_Don't be frustrated, _Harry said. _That was amazing and we are fairly far away. It'd be easier if we were closer. Here._

Ginny smiled again, feeling the faint surge of magical energy Harry managed to push through the thread to her. It wound around her core, suffusing its power into hers and the fatigue she had just been feeling ebbed. This was also a relatively new development, and Ginny still marvelled at the sensation. The only thing she could equate it to was receiving a hug, and she wished she was better at reciprocating, but she knew she would eventually attain greater control of that ability just as Harry had.

_Thanks, I feel better already, _she sighed as she resumed her trek towards The Burrow. She thought she could almost smell the sweet aroma of the tart in the air, but was sure that was just her imagination.

_I smell it too._

_Ergh! You remind me of Luna when you do that! You can't even see me! _Ginny carped. _I can't read your thoughts that clearly!_

Harry's laughter rippled over the thread. _ Mine aren't nearly as articulate as yours, but you manage to get the gist, most of the time._

_I may not give you Luna's present now, _Ginny grumbled.

His excitement was palpable and her heart skipped a beat with his at the thought of receiving a present from one of his best friends. Quickening her pace, she loped down the hill towards the lane that would lead to The Burrow's garden gate.

**hghghghg ghghghgh**

Harry watched from where he had just sprawled across the back steps of The Burrow as Ginny ran down the lane towards the gate. Her long red hair streamed behind her, billowing like flickering flames of red and gold. She held her petite body with such wild-abandoned grace, whereas Harry felt ungainly in his now lanky, but well-fed body. He was jealous and her laughter over his envy tinkled through his mind.

Adjusting his golden wire frames, Harry sat up straighter as Ginny approached and flopped down on the step next to him.

"Luna sends her birthday wishes and that she'll see you later at dinner," Ginny breathlessly said, settling next to him on the top step and placing a lumpy package in his lap.

Harry felt the now very familiar tingle of electricity run through him as her arm and leg brushed against his. So far, the past three years with Ginny had been the best three years of his life. Even the first one, when Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had basically been forced to allow him to live with them, since he and Ginny could not be separated by more than a room at the most. He'd been unable to attend Hogwarts as planned, and could tell that Professor Dumbledore had been extremely dismayed at the time. Harry had to admit he had been slightly disappointed as well, but he couldn't understand why Professor Dumbledore would mind one way or the other when he actually began attending Hogwarts.

There had been a brief discussion of Ginny possibly starting a year early, but her mother had firmly put her foot down, and Professor Dumbledore had conceded that he didn't see how they could possibly figure a way around the proximity dilemma. He had expressed his hope that after a year, the bond between Harry and Ginny would be strong enough that they would be able to endure the separation they would have to face at least when they were in their respective dormitories. Not to mention that Professor Dumbledore was quite adamant that no one outside the Weasley household, aside from himself, Hagrid, Professor McGonagall and Adoyrak, know anything about the connection Harry and Ginny shared, and he thought they'd better be able to hide it once they became more acquainted with each other and the bond.

Over the course of that first year, Professor Dumbledore had visited as much as his busy schedule would allow him to work with Harry and Ginny to help them strengthen the bond so they would not be afflicted with the physical limitations that they had faced in the beginning. In that time, Harry had grown to greatly respect Professor Dumbledore as a person and thought of him as a mentor of sorts. Ginny teased him incessantly over his hero-worship, but he couldn't help being in awe of the headmaster who emanated such power and control. Harry only hoped he would be half as good a wizard one day.

Addressing the issues the bond presented with Professor Dumbledore had been far easier to deal with than the first few months living in The Burrow, which had been, in a word, awkward. He couldn't say that he felt as unwanted as he had living at Privet Drive, since thankfully there was Ginny, but it took her mother a long time to warm up to him. For such a small-statured woman, she could be incredibly intimidating and frightening.

He had tried his best to be good and polite and Professor Dumbledore had helped him make arrangements with Adoyrak to send the Weasleys a monthly stipend to pay for his room and board. However, that had been the wrong thing to do, or maybe it had been the right thing, because Mrs. Weasley had gone mental when the owl arrived with the bank statement.

"Of all things!" she had blustered around the kitchen and Harry had cringed in his chair, afraid the cupboard was going to be in his near future once again, until Ginny had gently taken his hand and silently reassured him that this was a good thing. "I did not take you in for your… how could you think… unacceptable… I am sending this back to that meddling goblin this instant!"

After that things had gradually grown better and Harry wasn't sure if it was because of that event or perhaps she had already been softening towards him, but whichever the case, he was grateful. He knew he had finally passed muster the first time Mrs. Weasley hugged him, and the first time she had punished him with de-gnoming the garden for an infraction, he had felt golden.

The next year both he and Ginny had progressed enough to attend Hogwarts, which turned out to be quite an eventful year that ended with him, Ginny and Ron rescuing Ron's best friend, Hermione from the shadowy, diary-bound ghost of Tom Riddle. That had given Harry a face to go with the name of the man who had murdered his parents.

This past year had been even more bizarre with the appearance of Dementors at the school. Sometimes in his dreams, he could still hear the piercing siren scream of his mother ringing in his head and it was hard to equate that with the peaceful being he and Ginny had met in the meadow. It didn't help that he had felt extremely guilty over the effect his weakness had had on Ginny. They had spent half the year with Professor Lupin (after confiding in him their secret), not only learning how to cast their respective Patronuses, but also working on simple mental blocks Harry could erect to keep the dark images from afflicting Ginny.

Of course, she had balked animatedly and vociferously that he would hinder their connection if he attempted them, but Professor Lupin had reassured them that it would simply be a way for Harry to better control the output, so that hopefully, both of them could function normally.

The shields he had learned wound up saving their lives at the end of the year when he and Sirius had been surrounded by the skeletal creatures and Ginny had been able to keep her wits about her and cast her mare Patronus. This had enabled Harry to recoup enough strength to cast his own stallion to drive the remaining Dementors off and save Sirius from receiving the Dementor's Kiss or being captured again.

Sirius was currently in hiding, but Harry had no doubt he would see his godfather again soon. He was in intermittent contact with both Harry and Professor Lupin and in his last letter to Harry had stated that he was nearby and doing well.

Speaking of Sirius, his smiling face was looking up at him from the package as if to reassure him he was, in fact, well. Taking a closer look, Harry realized it was the front page of _The Quibbler_ with the headline reading: **Sirius Black, the Wrongly Accused – Exclusive Interview with the Outlaw Inside!**

Harry rolled his eyes and looked over towards Ginny who snickered. "Luna thought you would appreciate that. She's bringing the entire article over when she comes for dinner."

"So, if Luna is coming over later, why did she give my present to you?" Harry asked, turning the package over in his hands, attempting to figure out what was inside without reading Ginny's mind, which would spoil all the fun.

"Well, because she thought I should give it to you since she thinks it will mean something to the both of us," Ginny answered, and Harry felt her trepidation over whatever was contained within the wrapping.

Careful not to rip the picture of his godfather, Harry removed the paper and a heavy object rolled into his hand. It was a simple stone goblet with a slight crack running up its side and a chip on the rim. Turning it to peer inside, he saw that it was crusted with a flaky red substance and realization dawned that this was, without a doubt, the goblet Ginny had used just over three years ago.

"Why didn't she give it to you before now?" Harry asked.

Ginny chuckled and her merriment cascaded over Harry. "She only found it under her bed the other day when she was looking for something else. You know how her house is!"

Harry nodded. The first time he had met Luna had been enlightening. He and Ginny had been expressly forbidden from breathing a word to Luna regarding their situation and Ginny had attempted to explain to her that Harry was staying with the Weasleys at the behest of Professor Dumbledore. However, the words were no sooner out of Ginny's mouth before Luna's eyes had widened in wonder as she had looked between the two of them, and then she'd broken out in brilliant smile.

"Our potion worked better than we ever could have imagined, didn't it Ginny?" Luna had exclaimed.

It had been pointless to dissuade her otherwise and Ginny had confided in Harry later that Luna had the uncanny ability to see straight through people and to the heart of matters in most instances. Luna had made Harry extremely uncomfortable at first, as she had no qualms over saying whatever was on her mind with apparent disregard for how her highly personal observations made him feel. However, after spending time with her he had discovered that she was a fascinating person and they had become close friends. Besides, chances are, if it hadn't been for Luna, he may not have met Ginny until his second year at Hogwarts. Because of Ginny he hadn't had to return to the Dursleys and now had a chance to have a normal, happy life, one he couldn't imagine spending without her.

"I don't think I have ever thanked you properly," Harry faintly said, holding the cup almost reverently. "For saving me."

Ginny flushed pink. "Like I told you then, it was just a silly potion, regardless of what Luna thinks."

Harry could feel her doubt over her statement even as she uttered it. "Maybe," he said. "But maybe in some small way it made a difference."

Harry reached for her hand, but instead of clasping it as he always had before, he laced his fingers through her delicate ones, and he could feel the thread of the connection between them widening as they linked hands. Her heart fluttered within her chest, a sensation reminiscent to that of a Snitch beating its wings against his hand after he'd captured it, and it gave him the courage to forge ahead. _ I love you._

If Harry thought her heart had been fluttering wildly before, now it was definitely clamouring to beat its way free. She pressed her hand against her breast as a lovely blush tinged her cheeks. Bowing her head, Harry knew she was attempting to hide her happy embarrassment, but it flowed outward from her, filling every fibre of his being.

_I love you, too,_ Ginny replied, and as soon as she said it Harry felt a warm breeze whisper caress them and faintly he thought he could hear the trickle of a stream. His green eyes, wide behind the frames of his glasses looked into Ginny's equally shocked brown ones and he knew she heard and felt it too. He also knew they had just taken a step closer to the day they could return to the meadow, where the deer kept their silent vigil, patiently waiting.


End file.
